Just as an archer, who does not err and who has full concentration, hits his target, so also the yogi of perfect unison attains to salvation undoubtedly.
A person of good concentration can steadily fix up his mind to a pot filled with oil and climb a flight of stairs. In the same manner, the seeker can make use of steady yoga.
The yogi makes the soul free from impurities like a mirror in which the sun reflects.
Just as, O leading Brahmins, the helmsmen who have perfect concentration row the ships in the high seas and take them to the port, so also the knower of yoga who has
concentration on the soul attains to the inaccessible region of bliss (after leaving off this body).
Just as the charioteer, O Brahmins, who has good concentration and capable horses, takes the excellent man (rider) wielding the bow to the desired place immediately, so
also, O Brahmins, the yogi, with full concentration and dhaarana, quickly attains to the greatest region, like an arrow discharged at the target.
The navel, head, stomach, heart, chest, sides, eye, ear and nose are the spots in the body where the yogi should concentrate and meditate. The yogi of unlimited exploits,
who practises great sacred rites with mental purity and concentration, meditates on these spots. O excellent Brahmins! He unites his soul to the subtle Atman (Supreme
Soul). Adopting the excellent yoga, he burns, in a trice, all the karma, both auspicious and inauspicious, and, should he wish so, he is liberated.
The sages said:
It behooves you, O excellent one, to explain the diet of the yogi. What things does he conquer and subdue? How does he gain in strength?
Vyasa said:
The yogi who consumes coarse barley for a long time, O excellent Brahmins, becomes a purified soul. With this single diet, the yogi attains to great strength.
O Brahmins! The yogi who is accustomed to eat bits of grain as well as pinyaka (oil cake), and who avoids oily substances shall attain to great strength.
Wandering through (and residing) in the caves for many fortnights, months and seasons of diverse incidents, and drinking water with milk added (now and then), the yogi shall attain to great strength.
After fasting incessantly for an unbroken period of a month, the yogi becomes purified in soul and attains to great strength.
Yogis of great intellect and devoid of passions illumine the great and subtle Soul by themselves, O excellent sages, by conquering and subduing lust, anger, cold, heat, rain,
fear, sorrow, slumber, objects of sensuous pleasure, terrible allergies very difficult to be overcome, the sense of touch, drowsiness and the unconquerable lethargy.
Meditation and studious habits are their assets.
This path of learned Brahmins is very difficult to tread. Only a few pass happily through this path and quickly as well, O excellent sages!
Only a very few persons can comfortably pass through such a forest-like path as is terrible, and abounds in serpents and reptiles. It contains many deep fissures and
crevasses. It is devoid of water. It is impassable. It is full of thorns. It is dense with thickly grown jungle trees. (In some places in a forest) the trees are burnt down by the
forest fire. The whole path is infested by thieves and robbers. (Only a very few can pass through such a path.)
In the same manner, only a few Brahmins can pass through the path of yoga. It is admitted that a person of many faults shall desist from that path.
One treading the path of yoga, one should closely adhere to it as though it were the edge of a razor. This close adherence is called dharana. It is difficult for persons devoid of self-possession to tread this path.
Dharana, O Brahmins, is complex and complicated. Just as the boats of men devoid of helmsmen do not reach their destination, so also men devoid of dharana do not attain
to their ends.
He, who practises yoga by adhering to dharana duly, conquers death and the misery of frequent births. He excels others in happiness.
This great path of yoga has been resorted to by a number of sages. This has been precisely (explained) in various scriptures. This is decisively (nurtured) by the twice-born.
The path of yoga, O leading Sages, is in consonance with the path of the Veda. It is approved of by Brahma, Siva and Visnu, the bestower of boons. Bhava and Dharma (god of death) have attained to dignity (owing to the path of yoga). The sons of Brahma (Sanaka, Sanandana, etc) have also attained to dignity (owing to the path of yoga). The yogi passes through the various stages of Prakrti, namely, the pure sattva, the grand rajas and tamas full of pain. He attains to divine power, and the goddess, who is
Varuna’s consort. He achieves splendour and great courage. He attains to the status of or identity with the moon in the sky who is pure by nature, Visvedevas, serpents,
Pitris (Manes), mountains, terrible oceans, rivers, elephants, Saadhyas, Yakshas, quarters, Gandharvas, men & women. The noble-souled yogi then becomes liberated
before long.
After attaining and experiencing any kind of yoga, one attains to Narayana quickly. The story thereof, O excellent Brahmins, is relevant in regard to divine beings as well as a splendid person of great virility and intellect.
The sages said:
This practice of yoga, the path of yoga, that has been approved of by dignified persons, O leading Brahmin, has been well narrated to us.
Now, please expound, in essence, the practice of virtue according to Saamkhya for, whatever can be known in the three worlds has been known to you.
Vyasa said:
Listen, you, O Sages, to the principles of Saamkhya! These principles have been laid down by the old sages of yore, Kapila and others, who were not inferior to lords.
In that system, O excellent sages, a few complexities are seen. In it there are many good qualities and no defects.
That system is practised following the rites mentioned therein. By means of Knowledge, O Brahmins, all things are realized. All unconquerable human objects of pleasure and all the objects of evil are also realized.
The objects of pleasure of Nagas, Gandharvas, the Pitris and lower creatures are known.
The objects of pleasure of Asuras, Visvedevas and divine sages are known. The great objects of yoga are also known.
The objects of pleasure of whatever is being eaten as well as the objects of pleasure of Brahma are known. The essence of the maximum period of life is known to the
people.
